Feedback: What to get Detroit for its 312th birthday

Jul. 25, 2013

Romain Blanquart/Detroit Free Press

Wednesday was Detroit’s 312th birthday, and we asked readers what they would give the city for a present. Here are some of their responses from Facebook, Twitter and the comment section of Freep.com:

What Detroit needs for a re-birthday present is competent leadership.

Tom Griebe

A future filled with prosperity not empty promises!

Concepcion Irueta

A do-over of the last 50 years.

Brian Stopchinski

A sense of accountability.

Stephen J. Selph

Honest government.

Patrick J. Weise

Hope.

Watts Rozell

A big, big hug!

Marion Miele Christiansen

Courage for all elected officials to do what is right for the city I love, so it can be great once again.

Mary Tegel Kraemer

A good bankruptcy lawyer.

J.B. Fox

A non-crooked government!

Cheryl Contway White

Peace, love, and understanding, and most of all, someone who actually cares about people.

Ruie Whitecotton

Honest, visionary leadership.

Judy Zielinski

More taxpayers!

Denis Woltemate

Millions of good paying jobs.

Kerry Kempinski

No gifts ... just send money.

Mitch Barczak

Love and kindness. Patience and tolerance.

Patricia L. Brooks

Happy birthday, Detroit! All I want is for people to stop rooting against the city.

Kay Nguyen via Twitter

I wish you a flood of party guests that outlast the party. New and old friends to stay, play and call you home.

Sara Wycoff via Twitter

A federal bailout.

Fritz J. McDonald

My gift would be that more people would take action to help the city. Commitment to do something small or large. It all counts. Unity.

Jo Ann Huston

Spring, Texas

A well-functioning, rail-based public transportation system!

Michael Crane

Detroit already got its b-day gift this year. Dan Gilbert has fallen in love with her, adorning her with jewels (new development); she’s in the process of wiping out debt to start anew; we have a blight authority working diligently to wipe away the blemishes of decay and population flight, and we finally have a regional transit authority!

Anthony Terrell Mason

A new City Council, void of corruption, with the goal of improving the city.

Brett J. Lawrence

A time machine so it could go back 50 years and stop “the decline” before it started!

Tina Rodgers Lunardi

A bailout.

Fred Cislo Jr.

Detroit has been given too much. What was needed was good stewardship.